Loggers and Artists of Hoquiam, Washington

Historically a logging town, Hoquiam preserves its heritage with events like its internationally famous Loggers� Playday  .... while not forgetting to honor its artists too.

It celebrates its arts every year with the On Track Art Festival, held the last weekend of August each year (August 27 and 28 this year) on 8^th and Levee Streets in downtown Hoquiam. 

At this 2-day outdoor festival visitors can view and purchase original art from outstanding local and regional artists. No commercial products are allowed � all booths are original art products. Therre is great food, great artists and great opportunity for the artists who attend.

The Loggers Playday, held the Saturday following Labor day each year (this year September 10), is in its 47^th year. It is a day full of great fun. It makes a 6a.m. start with the Rotary Pancake Breakfast which competitors can work off on the 2 mile, 5K or 10K fun runs at 8a.m. The day proceeds with a vendor fair held in downtown Hoquiam beginning at 10a.m. The Loggers Playday parade begins at 12 noon with marching bands, logging trucks and other great entries. In the afternoon there is a Salmon Bake  outside the historic Olympic Stadium from 2 to 7p.m. The day ends with the one-of-a kind-logging show at the Olympic Stadium and a wonderful fireworks display.

Part of Grays Harbor County, Washington State�s gateway to the Pacific Ocean and the Olympic Peninsula, Hoquiam and its Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge is a stopover for hundreds of thousands of shorebirds during their spring and fall migrations. 

For more information about top events in Washington State take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Washington State. 

For more information on Hoquiam and its attractions and events visit www.cityofhoquiam.com/

Kirkland Art Food and Wine

The City of Kirkland uncorks its signature summer festival, Kirkland Uncorked from July 15 to 17 in Marina Park on the shores of Lake Washington. The event celebrates the best of Washington�s art, food and wine with activities and exhibits throughout Kirkland�s picturesque waterfront and downtown.

The Tasting Garden offers guests the opportunity to taste from more than 60 Washington wines, sample regional cuisine from Kirkland-area restaurants and be entertained by the Northwest�s favorite bands on the main stage. Grilling demonstrations and the anticipated annual grill-off with Washington�s top chefs take place on the beach throughout the weekend. Winemakers and winery liaisons will be on hand to answer questions and provide tasting tips to guide guests through the collection of Washington wines.

Kirkland Uncorked guests can also stroll the Promenade free and open to all ages, to shop Artist Lane, curated by the Kirkland Arts Center and featuring art from local, regional and nationally recognized artists in a variety of mediums. The Arts for All Experience invites attendees to participate in art activities from clay throwing to sketching the landscape. Also in the Kirkland Uncorked Promenade are the Boat Show and CityDog Magazine�s Cover Dog Model Contest on Sunday at noon.

Kirkland Uncorked is a benefit for the Hope Heart Institute. For 50 years the Hope Heart Institute has made heart disease more treatable, beatable and preventable.

For more information about top events in Washington take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Washington.

To learn more about Kirkland Uncorked and plan your stay in Kirkland visit KirklandUncorked.com. 

Toast 200 years of Oktoberfest History in Seattle

This year celebrates 200 years of Oktoberfest history and Fremont Oktoberfest is proud to be voted by USA Today and Orbitz.com as one of the world�s top places to toast the tradition.

The 14th Annual Fremont Oktoberfest takes place September 24-26, 2010 in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle benefiting the Fremont Chamber of Commerce.

Fremont Oktoberfest hosts a microbrew tasting garden where guests can sample over 80 beers. The event also features the Buxom Beer Garden and Village Beer Garden where guests can receive German beers by the glass. Various lounges and music stages provide guests with non-stop entertainment including the infamous Texas Chainsaw Pumpkin Carving Contest, Dog Modeling Contest and Miss Buxom Contest.

The Oktoberfest Village features traditional German food booths, a free entertainment stage and a Kids� area with Zucchini 500 races, root beer tasting and Oktoberfest themed arts and crafts. The Oktoberfest Village is free and open to all ages.

The weekend also includes the Fremont Oktoberfest Brew HA-HA 5K Run complete with a beer belly division and appropriately ending at the Village Beer Garden. For guests looking for a unique adventure, the Brew HA-HA Street Scramble sends guests on a scavenger hunt to find the hidden treasures of the Fremont neighborhood.

General Admission tickets to the Fremont Oktoberfest Microbrew Garden are $2o in advance and $25 at the gate. Tickets on sale from August 16 at http://www.fremontoktoberfest.com/ Tickets include admission, a 5oz commemorative tasting mug and five beer-tasting tokens. 5oz beer tastes are one token each and additional tokens can be purchased for $1.75.

For more information about top events in Washington State take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Washington.

For more information on Fremont's Oktoberfest visit http://www.fremontoktoberfest.com

Seattle: 4O Ways to Celebrate Bumbershoot�s 40th Year

Seattle is celebrating the 40th Annual Bumbershoot: Seattle�s Music & Arts Festival at Seattle Center from September 4 to 6 with a summer-long series of events, programs, and contests.

The �40 Ways to Celebrate Bumbershoot�s 40th Festival� campaign highlights Seattle�s rich history of creating and supporting music, art, culture and community. These events are meant to inspire Seattle to commemorate Bumbershoot�s longevity and to provide opportunities for the Festival and fans to give back to the community that has supported it for four decades.

Bumbershoot, long recognized for offering a diverse array of programming, continues this tradition for the 2010 Festival with a visually stunning selection of art exhibits and installations.

The 2010 Visual Arts Program features a 30-year look at Seattle alternative cartoonists and comics, a large-scale sculptural installation created from wooden coffee stir sticks, an exploration of the ways developments in art technology have resulted in new expressions of sound, a chance for Festival attendees to take on the Portrait Challenge, and an opportunity to view the work of Seattle�s best street artists in a gallery setting.

The Festival�s art exhibits will be revealed to the public early, in a free public viewing on Friday, September 3 from noon to 7pm, in celebration of the Mayor�s Arts Awards.

Bumbershoot: Seattle�s Music and Arts Festival takes place every year over Labor Day weekend and stretches across the 74-acre Seattle Center beneath the city�s iconic Space Needle. Bumbershoot programs 20 indoor and unique outdoor venues, allowing for a diverse array of arts including live music, comedy, theatre, dance, film, urban crafts, and literary and visual arts.

For more information about top events in Washington State take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Washington.

For Festival details and tickets visit http://bumbershoot.org

Olympia Hosts "Procession of the Species"

Every April the City of Olympia, Washington State�s capital, hosts the unique Procession of the Species � drawing both folks from around the region and further afield.

This year the Procession of the Species begins at 4:30pm on Saturday April 24 � the 15th annual parade of people celebrating nature in the community. This is a joyous, artistic pageant embracing the languages of art, music and dance to inspire learning, appreciation and protection of the natural world. Children and adults both parade in a colorful kaleidoscope of imaginative costumes, creative masks, banners and giant puppets. The Procession is now Puget Sound's largest annual Earth Day event.

Since its inception, the Procession has grown from 800 participants and 3,000 spectators to over 2,700 participants and 28,000 onlookers last year. It is the highlight of Olympia�s annual Spring Arts Walk (from April 23 to 24) � one of the largest arts walks in the Pacific Northwest. Nearly 100 galleries and businesses display the work of more than 300 artists during the two days, plus there are hands-on family activities, performance stages, demonstrations and street corner performers.

The Procession of the Species Celebration was born in January, 1995, when a group of Olympia residents wanted to organize an event both to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Earth Day and to support Congressional renewal of the Endangered Species Act. The group decided on a positive statement of support in the form of a community celebration.

For more information about top events in Washington State, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Washington at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-washington.html

For schedules and information on Procession of the Species visit www.procession.org

EVERETT WOMEN�S FILM FESTIVAL ANCHORS PERFECT GIRLFRIENDS� WEEKEND GETAWAY

Looking for a place to get away with your gal pals that includes a few things to enrich the mind as well as the soul, the tummy and the wardrobe? You�ll find it in Everett, Washington, home to several popular woman-owned fashion boutiques, a diversity of wine and dining experiences � and an annual film festival that showcases powerful, unusual, and always memorable women-made films.

It�s the Everett Women�s Film Festival on February 27 and 28. Since 1997, the Everett Women�s Film Festival (EWFF) has honored the spirit, drive, creativity, and diversity of women filmmakers as they explore human issues and conditions through feature film, documentaries, comedies, shorts, and animation.

The festival focuses on high quality and eclectic thematic content, giving it a quirky yet balanced flavor. Each film leaves a lasting impression on the audience.

Among the 2010 film line-up are:

Frozen River by Courtney Hunt (United States/2008) Desperation knows no borders in this character study of two women � one white, the other Mohawk � on opposite sides of the reservation.

Mostly Martha by Sandra Nettlebeck (Germany/2001) A little bit French, a little bit Italian, a little obsession and lots of food. Set in a busy upscale restaurant with humor and drama to spare.

Clotheslines by Roberta Cantow (USA/1988) With verve and humor, this film shows the love/hate relationship that women have with the task of cleaning the family's clothes.

The Everett Women�s Film Festival takes place at the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave.

For more information about top events in Washington State, take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Washington at www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-washington.html

Or, take a look at the official web site for Everett at www.VisitEverettWA.com.

OKTOBERFEST FUN JUST AROUND THE CORNER

All over the world, Oktoberfest events and festivals are getting ready for one of the best loved celebrations of beer, music and hearty good fun. And the states are no exception.

Voted by USA Today and Orbitz.com as one of the top places to toast Oktoberfest, the three-day event in Fremont, Washington has an activity for kids and adults of all ages!

Part of that fun, and in it�s second year, the Fremont Oktoberfest does a search for the most Bavarian spirited girl (or boy) through the Miss Buxom Contest. The Fremont twist on the traditional pageantry came after seeing an increase in themed costumes and Oktoberfest spirit demonstrated over the years. �More and more people were coming to Oktoberfest in some kind of costume. We have had young guys come in drinking team sweat suits and burly men come dressed in Buxom Beer Girl outfits,� says Megenhardt. The Miss Buxom Contest will be held opening night at 7pm. You don�t need to be female to enter, but must be wearing �traditional German attire with a Fremont twist.� Each Miss Buxom contestant answers a light-hearted question, then the winner is chosen by audience applause. �Last year�s contestants took the pageantry to the next level with hilarity and creativity,� says Megenhardt. �We�re looking forward to what creativity lies ahead in this year�s zany pageantry.�

Other favorites coming back for a second year encore include a Cigar Lounge, an all out laugh fest at the Brew HA-HA Comedy Show and cabana tent rentals that seat about 10 and can be rented as a private beer seating area. � But,� cautions Megenhardt, �don�t be too dazzled by all the Fremont flair and forget that this is one of the best beer-tasting opportunities in the country. With event staples including sizzling bratwurst, chainsaw pumpkin carving, and knock-out music being served up year after year - Oktoberfest is finding a happy medium between tradition and growth. �

Some of the more than 70 micro brews on tap this year are being created exclusively for the festival, while others will be sampled by the public for the first time. Keep your eye out for the first, icy cold barrels of Crispins� Original Cider making it�s Northwest festival premier at Fremont Oktoberfest.

Lazy Boy Brewing Company and The Stranger Newspaper brings one of the most sought after sips � The Stranger Big Double Trouble IPA � and Lazy Boy can�t make enough of it. Every year those �troubled� taps run dry. �We make Big Double Trouble once a year for Oktoberfest,� says Shawn Loring, Lazy Boy�s brew master. �We brought 20 kegs last year which finally lasted us until early Sunday.� Explaining its popularity he says, �Big Double Trouble is an imperial IPA which means it has a higher alcohol content than most beers. It�s flavor packed with tons of hops, and tons of malt flavor. People pretty much love this stuff.�

Admission to the Stranger Microbrew Garden is $25 at the gate, which includes a souvenir mug and 6 beer-tasting tokens. Save $10 with advance tickets August 15-September 1st - $5 with advance tickets on sale September 1st - September 17th. Detailed ticket information at: www.fremontoktoberfest.com.

For more information about other top events in Washington visit http://www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-washington.html at Top Events USA.